Young couple’s dream of a coffee shop comes true

Tricia and Ben Rubke have dealt with the challenges of owning their own business — now it’s time to find their niche

Roxanne Cooke

The owners of Beyond the Bridge Café in Sumner are serious about offering a fun, artistic atmosphere and quality coffee, complete with foam art.

The young couple, Ben and Tricia Rubke, from Puyallup, opened Beyond the Bridge in November 2006 after the building’s former coffee shop, Just Next Door, closed its doors. Tricia Rubke used to work at Just Next Door, and she and her husband always talked about buying the place and making it their own, if the opportunity arose.

“It had been our dream,” Ben Rubke said.

The two, both 26, wanted to have their own business with their own rules.

“We wanted to focus on the coffee,” Tricia Rubke said.

Because of her connections with Just Next Door’s customers, the couple was able to start their own coffee shop with a good base. Many even attended their wedding in 2002.

But the first year was still a challenge, the two said. It was all about learning what not to do. Now they’re moving forward — finding their niche and their strengths.

“We’re on the runway,” Ben Rubke said. “We’re just about to take off.”

They’ve determined their trademark is foam art, a method of “drawing” on the top of espresso-based drinks like lattes or mochas. The Rubkes do this on every cup ordered in, even when it’s busy.

“We’re trying to be an avenue of art,” Tricia Rubke said. “We definitely have something to offer.”

Foam art gives the coffee a distinctly “silky” taste, the couple said. While the most common foam art is in the shape of a tree or a heart, if done carefully, baristas can even etch words into the foam.

The coffee isn’t the only place customers will find art. Many of the chairs and tables inside were painted by Tricia Rubke.

Displaying her art is one rewarding facet of the job ­— both feel they’ve found work that’s enjoyable and worthwhile, in fact.

Tricia Rubke worked as a ballet dancer in Tacoma until the couple married. It wasn’t feasible to dance six days a week once the two started a family. They now have three children.

Currently, she works as a kickboxing instructor at the Mel Korum Family YMCA in addition to her coffee shop work.

Ben Rubke formerly worked in an office, but quickly learned that wasn’t for him.

“My soul was suffocating in the office environment,” he said.

Next, he tried a traveling salesman job, but discovered he couldn’t sell anything he wasn’t interested in. He also tried carpentry.

When the couple realized they work well together and had the opportunity to own a business side-by-side, everything fell into place.

“It’s worked for us,” Ben said. “We both really enjoy people. We’re having fun doing it.”

In the near future for Beyond the Bridge is a remodel of the coffee shop’s interior. The Rubkes want to make room for more seating and move the majority of the machinery and food and drink preparation to the back of the shop. They also want softer lighting and Wi-Fi.

No worries, regulars: The ice cream will stay, as will the toasted bagel sandwich. In fact, the shop now offers a new list of bagel sandwiches, including turkey, pesto and jalapeno and ham with cream cheese. All will have homemade sauces.

In addition to those scrumptious snacks, the shop already offers homemade chicken noodle soup made by Tricia Rubke’s mom, and chili.

The two also want to host more events at the shop, adding to their tetherball tournaments. For the first time, they plan to have an open mic night in February.

They also want to host local performers and movie screenings in the future.

“We’re really excited about that,” Tricia Rubke said.

The Rubkes hope they’re seen as a cool after-school hangout for Sumner’s younger crowd, who may not have a lot of options in a community made up of mainly older adults.

“We’re trying to bring something to Sumner that has been missing,” Ben Rubke said.

But they also want to serve the community as a whole — and so far, so good: Their customers are varied in age.

Though their first year was a challenge, the Rubkes are optimistic and feel passionately about their business and accomplishments so far.

“Success doesn’t just happen,” Tricia Rubke said. “We’re in this for the long run.”

Beyond the bridge cafe

• Hours: 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday • Address: 13624 Valley Ave. E., Sumner

• Phone: 253-863-0556

• Web site: www.myspace.com/beyondthebridgecafe

• Upcoming events:

• Feb. 29 and March 15: Open Mic Night runs from 6-9 p.m. Read poetry, sing songs and be a Sumner celebrity.

• March 29: This year’s second Tetherball Tournament begins at 3 p.m. Sign up at the coffee shop prior to the event. Winner receives a $10 gift certificate for the coffee shop and tetherball champion honors.